Nagpur: A six-second video showing a man seemingly feeding liquor to a tiger and casually interacting with it on an empty street has been exposed as entirely fabricated and AI-generated, prompting legal action from authorities. The clip, which went viral on social media with sensational claims of a tiger from the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, was quickly identified as fake by the Nagpur Rural Police, who issued a notice to the Instagram user responsible for posting it.

The video, originally shared on October 30, 2025, from an Instagram account under the handle “aikalaakari,” depicts a man feeding a bottle of alcohol to a tiger while casually patting it. Social media users, spreading false narratives, claimed that the man, identified as 52-year-old Raju Patel, mistook a stray tiger for a large cat while returning from a card game. According to these fabricated accounts, villagers were allegedly terrified, and forest officials had to later tranquilise the animal.

However, all elements of the story were fabricated. The tiger shown in the video does not exist, the man is fictional, and the alleged incident never occurred. Authorities clarified that the Pench Tiger Reserve had no connection to the footage, and the sensational claims were misleading, potentially tarnishing the image of the reserve and endangering public perceptions of wildlife.

Nagpur Rural Police acted swiftly upon the circulation of the video. Superintendent of Police Harssh Poddar and Additional SP Anil Mhaske confirmed that the video was generated using AI technology and that a legal notice had been issued under Section 68 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to the Instagram account holder based in Mumbai. The police highlighted the potential consequences of such misinformation, noting that viral fake content could mislead tourists, negatively impact tourism, and promote unsafe behavior around wild animals.

“The reel sent the wrong message and may dent the image of the Tiger Reserve,” the police statement read. Officials emphasized that AI-generated videos could easily mislead the public and that such content must be treated with caution. The Instagram post has since been removed, but the viral nature of the clip underscores the challenges authorities face in curbing misinformation online.

The incident has also reignited debates around the responsible use of AI in media, as digitally fabricated wildlife videos are increasingly gaining traction on social media platforms. Police officials urged citizens to exercise caution and verify information before sharing sensational content online. They warned that future violations, including the creation or circulation of content that defames wildlife reserves or spreads misinformation, could lead to stringent action.

In a time when AI tools can generate hyper-realistic imagery and video content, experts caution that misinformation can spread quickly, especially when it taps into human fascination with wildlife or shocking events. In this case, the tiger — a symbol of Indian wildlife conservation — was misrepresented in a scenario that could have encouraged dangerous behavior if individuals attempted to replicate what they saw.

The Nagpur Rural Police have also reached out to social media platforms to strengthen monitoring and take prompt action against misleading content. Authorities emphasized that such measures are not meant to curb free speech but are necessary to prevent the spread of false information that can impact public safety and the reputation of protected areas.

This episode serves as a reminder of the double-edged nature of AI technologies. While they offer creative and entertainment possibilities, they can also be misused to produce highly convincing but completely false narratives. For the general public, the police advisory is clear: always verify the authenticity of viral content, particularly when it involves sensitive subjects like wildlife or public safety.

The legal notice issued in this case is a part of a broader effort by law enforcement in Maharashtra to combat misinformation and protect both citizens and natural resources from the unintended consequences of viral fake content. Officials reiterated that public cooperation is critical in curbing the spread of such misinformation, urging users to report dubious content immediately.

As AI-generated media continues to evolve, authorities and social media platforms alike face the challenge of distinguishing between reality and fabricated content. This incident highlights the importance of digital literacy and vigilance among users to prevent the spread of fake videos that could have serious repercussions for wildlife conservation and public safety.

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